Articles
Dear Coach: Layoffs at My Company Have Me Floundering
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, Like many others these days, my company just underwent a major restructuring, cutting almost 15% of the workforce. Rumors suggest there is more to come, and the situation feels hard on multiple levels. Not only do I no longer understand what my full body of work is, but I’m also […]
Dear Coach: Do I Beat Them or Join Them?
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, I have a problem that I can’t seem to resolve. My workplace is very competitive and siloed. Since joining the team, I have tried to bring in a different way of working, one that is closer to my style. I’ve been transparent with my colleagues and tried to make my […]
Dear Coach: I’m Tired of Having to Prove the Value of My Work
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, I was hired into my company to lead our newly established digital business, and I have met what feels like a lot of resistance from the beginning. I’ve been at it for about 18 months, and I find myself very frustrated that people seem not to understand what it is […]
Dear Coach: My Coworkers Aren’t Happy About My Promotion
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, I just had a major promotion. It was competitive, with several of my peers and external candidates also vying for the role, and everyone—including myself—thought other candidates were more likely to get it. But, alas, I ended up with the job (!). I’m excited about the opportunity, but now there’s […]
Dear Coach: My Coworkers Love to Party
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, I recently started in a senior role at a new company and participated in two separate offsites as part of my assimilation. While the offsites were very productive, I was incredibly surprised by the after-hours consumption of alcohol. I enjoy an alcoholic beverage on occasion and have no problem with […]
Reflection Friday: How Your Morning Affects Your Night
We work with uber-busy people. And something we frequently hear are complaints about end-of-day habits–too much Netflix or wine, staying up too late, being caught on email all evening, late-night snacking, or just not spending enough time with their loved ones. They always resolve to do better–go to bed earlier, drink less wine, spend more […]
Dear Coach: My Feedback Isn’t Getting Through
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, I have someone on my team who overcommunicates in all contexts. His emails and texts are too long, his presentations ramble on and on, and when he speaks, he circles around for minutes before landing on a point—if he ever does at all. He doesn’t create confidence because he doesn’t […]
Reflection Friday: Be Careful What You Wish For
Oscar Wilde once said there are two tragedies in life: not getting what you want and getting everything you want. The latter, he believes, is much worse. We strive for things, work hard at things, and wish for things—then, once we get them, we feel fearful and overwhelmed by what’s in front of us. It’s […]
Dear Coach: How Do I Figure Out My Next—and Probably Last—Move?
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, I am a 53-year-old woman—a senior VP—and I feel like I have one more big push left for my career, but I don’t see an obvious path forward at my current company. I feel loyalty to this place that has given me so many opportunities; on the other hand, I’m […]
Reflection Friday: Managing Bad News
Picture this: You’re going about your morning, checking things off your to-do list, in and out of meetings, and moving through your day with relative ease. Then, something happens that knocks you off your center—perhaps an email complaint, bad news about the business, a family crisis, health issue, conflict with a colleague. It often doesn’t […]
Dear Coach: Are My Colleagues Racist & Sexist or Am I the One Missing Something?
What’s the Problem? Dear Coach, I am a woman of color who has been climbing the ladder in corporate America for the last 20 years. When I first became a manager, a mentor told me that, given my race and gender, I need to make myself visible in every room I’m in. I should take […]
Reflection Friday: Your Personal Resources
We all only have three things: time, energy, and focus. And how we allocate those three things determines the outcome of everything important to us. All too often, however, we drift. We stop making intentional choices on how we allocate these most precious and non-renewable resources, and it messes with the balance of our personal […]
Dear Coach: Do I Fit in With the Culture?
Dear Coach, I’m someone who is driven by achieving business results, which is my reputation as well. I have deep knowledge of the industry, and I’m passionate about pushing our business to achieve our aggressive targets. I move fast and try to solve problems as quickly as possible. Last year I moved into a new […]
Reflection Friday: Embracing Fear
Picture this: you have a great idea for a new project at work, but it’s super bold, a little risky, and you’ve never done anything at this scale before. You know it could be amazingly successful, but you’re afraid even to pitch it to your boss, let alone put it into action; you’re feeling fearful, […]
Dear Coach: I’m Surprised by My Team’s Negative Feedback
Dear Coach, The results of our annual organizational survey just came back from my team, and they aren’t good. Answers point to burnout, disengagement, and a sense that team members feel under-resourced. Our reputation within the organization is as a top-performing team, and that’s always been my number one aspiration: to deliver exceptional results. My […]